In their article, Suldo and Shaffer (2008) join other researchers in proposing that subjective well-being might be a reliable, valid, and practical index of the positive dimensions of "health" in mental health. They appropriately indicate that, to date, there are only a few empirical tests of the relations that exist between the presence of…

This special issue, Developing Social- Emotional and Behavioral Interventions with School Communities: Systematic and Collaborative Processes, reflects the current state of the science for improving schools to better educate children and adolescents and promote their behavioral health. The innovations described in this volume describe advancements…

In this commentary, the author summarizes the research findings of the four articles from this special issue of "School Psychology Review," titled "Sexual Orientation, Homophobia, Bullying, and Psychological Sequelae in Adolescents: Research and Practice Findings," as well as suggestions for intervention offered by the authors of the articles. She…

In the article by Ringeisen, Henderson, and Hoagwood (2003), the authors conclude that "simply stated, context matters" when implementing empirically supported interventions in the school setting, and they provide a state-of-the-art summary of how individual-level, organizational-level, and state/federal-level factors can affect dissemination. The…

Atkins, Graczyk, Frazier, and Abdul-Adil (2003) make the point that there have been three limitations of mental health services for children and families in low-income, urban settings: (a) accessibility; (b) effectiveness; and (c) sustainability. Their article focuses extensively on improving access and addressing issues of sustainability in…

There is a large research base indicating numerous gender differences in prevalence rates of psychopathology, the expression of psychopathology, and the etiology of psychopathology across different disorders (Zahn-Waxler, Shirtcliff, & Marceau, 2008). Such documented gender differences in mental health among children and adolescents have…

Ringeisen, Henderson, and Hoagwood (2003) present a compelling case that: (a) there is a gap between mental health research and the delivery of mental health services in school settings; (b) in order to bridge this gap, mental health professionals must consider contextual factors at the individual, organization, and state/federal policy levels;…

As the article by Fantuzzo, McWayne, and Bulotsky (2003) indicates, it increasingly is recognized that research in the mental health field must include enhanced efforts to conduct work outside the laboratory and in collaboration with major stakeholders. However, the full implications of bringing the rigor of the scientific method into the…

Article assesses the evidence for educational psychologists' involvement in mental health services and evaluates the extent of the knowledge base shown in the professional literature. Concludes that the profession cannot claim competencies that it does not possess without further training and education if it wishes to be recognized as a provider…

The article by Fantuzzo, McWayne, and Bulotsky (2003) describes a model for addressing the former U.S. Surgeon General's (USDHHS, 1999) priorities for improving mental health service delivery to the nation's children. The authors identify several elements that characterize their own work and that can guide the work of school psychologists and…

Reviews have identified mental health interventions that are relevant to schools; unfortunately, this research pays insufficient attention to the school context. Several aspects of school context likely influence the ability of schools to change current practices or adopt new ones. Relying on an organizational framework, a three-level model of…

The promotion of evidence-based practice (EBP) has become a dominant discussion in mental health and education, and in school mental health, which reflects attempts to integrate these (and other) systems. Research in this area is advancing, and there are increasing examples of school-based programs built on scientific findings of effectiveness.…

This special series focused on treatment integrity in the child mental health and education field is timely. The articles do a laudable job of reviewing (a) the current status of treatment integrity research and measurement, (b) existing conceptual models of treatment integrity, and (c) the limitations of prior research. Overall, this thoughtful…

Although universal school-wide support efforts are sufficient for most students, some children need more specialized and intensive supports. These supports are organized into programmatic structures such as alternative programs, special education, and Title programs. However, as Atkins, Graczyk, Frazier, and Abdul-Adil (2003) have described, an…

In a dual-factor model of mental health (cf. Greenspoon & Saklofske, 2001), assessments of positive indicators of wellness (i.e., subjective well-being--SWB) are coupled with traditional negative indicators of illness (i.e., psychopathology) to comprehensively measure mental health. The current study examined the existence and utility of a…